World Health Day is celebrated every year on April 7 and was observed in
the First Health Assembly in 1948. The
day was started to create awareness about a specific health theme to
highlight the areas of concern for the World Health Organisation.
This has helped WHO bring many important health issues such as mental
health, maternal and child care, and climate change into limelight. The
day is marked by activities that give the opportunity to get
attention from the world over these important problems.
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Building a fairer, healthier world for everyone
Western Pacific had experienced rapid economic growth, migration
and urbanisation creating better lives for many people but COVID-19 has undercut
recent health gains, pushed more people into poverty and food
insecurity, and amplified gender, social and health
inequities.
COVID-19 has hit all countries hard, but its impact has been
harshest on those communities, which were already vulnerable, who are more
exposed to the disease, less likely to have access to quality healthcare
services and more likely to experience adverse consequences as a result of
measures implemented to contain the pandemic.
Facts and Figures:
- For the first
time in 20 years, global poverty levels are predicted to rise and hinder
the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals - Up to 60% of
people living in some countries lack access to essential
health services - More than 1
billion people living in informal settlements or slums are facing
increased challenges in preventing infection and transmission of the
coronavirus - The Asia-Pacific
region as a whole account for nearly 82.5 million or 32% of the world’s
international migrants - 5.9 million
children in the Asia-Pacific Region are at risk of not returning back to
school due to the disruption to education and the economic impact of the
pandemic - 52% of the
Asia-Pacific population remains unconnected to the internet
